Design Wall Monday - June 23, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Today I am having cataract surgery on my left eye, as scheduled.  The right eye surgery went well two weeks ago, so please pray that today’s procedure goes well too.  

The design wall has been actively used this week.  I finished the last of the appliquéd flowers on the border of The Cousin’s Walk quilt, and put it up there to take a picture of it.  This quilt is too big for my design wall!  Here are pictures taken this week before I send it to a long arm quilter:

This is such a happy quilt,  I am looking forward to seeing what the machine quilter adds to it.  

The log cabin quilt has been sewed into rows and six rows are together, with five more rows to be added.  I decided to not add any border to it.  Thanks for your input.  Here it is on the ironing board:  

The small log cabin doll quilt has also been sewed into six rows and is back on the design wall.

Also on the design wall are rows G through M of the shirting/indigo Jane Stickle quilt.  It will stay on the design wall until I fill in the blocks that need to be made to fill the blank spots.  Each block is a fun little challenge.  Here is a current picture of the design wall:

So lots going on here, and hopefully my recovery time will be spent making Jane Stickle quilt blocks in the coming weeks.  

What is on your design wall today?  I see Julie (Julie’s Quilts and Costumes) is also working on Jane Stickle quilt blocks.  So many beautiful quilts and sewing projects each week.  You all are amazing.  Thanks for participating in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below.  You are appreciated.  And now, after my eye surgery today, I will be able to see your fine work even better!  God is good.

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Design Wall Monday - June 16, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Yesterday was Father’s Day, and also our wedding anniversary.  We have been married 62 years!  It seems impossible, but there it is.  June 15, 1963……..to June 15, 2025…….and as in the story books, we have lived happily ever after.  I am so blessed.

Quiltwise, I have had another productive week.  First, the Cousin’s Walk appliqué quilt was worked on again, and I made progress on finishing up one of the border corners.  Here is a picture of my progress…..a yellow flower to sew down, and another leaf to add on the opposite side of the vine, and this part will be finished.  There is one more border corner to work on.  

Re the design wall, I finished the first six rows of the Indigo/Shirting Jane Stickle blocks, and took them off the wall.  I am excited to get the final seven rows up there to see what blocks I am missing.  Here the six rows are before I put them away.

But the log cabin blocks were stacked on the floor, staring at me.  So, I put the log cabin blocks up, and here is a picture of the design wall now:

The block arrangement is called Barn Raising, and I found I needed two more blocks to finish the plan.  So I made them, and am now sewing the blocks together into a quilt top.  The blocks finish at 7.5 inches square, with the logs at 3/4 inch wide.  Do you like a border around a log cabin quilt or not?  I haven’t decided yet.

The little doll quilt (half the size of these blocks) has been moved to the “design floor” area near the design wall.  It will be assembled next.  So it was a good week, and I am happy.

What is happening in your quilt room?  So many great projects going on at your house.  I really enjoy reading your blogs and looking at your pictures.  Thanks for participating in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party this last week.  Join again below and show us “whatcha got”

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Design Wall Monday - May 19, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

This past week, I worked more on appliqué leaves and flowers for the Cousin’s Walk quilts.  I have one end of two of the borders yet to do, and am feeling the surge to finish it.  So glad that I am working on it again.

Here are the ends of two borders that are now finished:

The second project ongoing is the UFO of Log Cabin.blocks.  I made 10 more blocks that will finish at 7.5 inches square.  While sewing them, I wondered what little blocks would look like.  You know I like to make little blocks.  

So, dividing the measurements in half, resulted in little blocks that finish at 3 3/4 inches square.  Here are two blocks side by side:

And here are ten of the little blocks on my design wall:

I had fun making them, and have started the next 10 blocks in each side.  There is something soothing about adding strips to a block on the sewing machine.  And batching them in tens makes the completion count go faster.

What are you working on this week?  There were lots of beautiful pictures and interesting blog posts last week.  Thank you for participating.  I am looking forward to reading what you post this week.  Join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below.

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Design Wall Monday - May 5, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

I worked a little bit this week on the unfinished border on Cousin’s Walk.  Slow and steady is the plan for this project, as somehow, I don’t want it to end.  

Here are the two borders I am working on:

I have still been knitting dish cloths and tried a pattern that looks like herringbone.  I made one in turquoise and it was not the size I like, and I also made some mistakes in the pattern.   Then I tried another, but ran out of  yarn before finishing it.  I have started my third dish cloth in this pattern, and I know I have enough of this yarn to finish it.  And by working this pattern three times, I have figured out the pattern so I don’t have to refer to the directions all the time, (and not make so many mistakes).  Here is a picture of all three:

Thanks for joining our Design Wall Linky Party again this week.  My design wall has my blue and shirting Jane Stickle blocks on it, and no blocks joined the ones already there this past week.  I hope to see some pretty quilts on your design walls.  Or just pictures of what you are working on.  I appreciate your participation every week.  Thanks!

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Design Wall Monday - April 7, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

I just got home from a quilt retreat.  Each time I go, I work on blocks for a Jane Stickle quilt.  I cut the book “Dear Jane” apart, and have each of the book’s block picture by each of my blocks.  I am a little over half way making the 169 blocks for this quilt.  Here are the blocks I completed at the retreat:

The blocks finish at five inches each.  Since I got this UFO out to work on at the retreat, I think I will leave it out and work on it some more.  I am re-inspired.  Yeah!

Several ladies attending the retreat are each making the same quilt, Cousin’s Walk.  I have been struggling to finish mine up.  Here are pictures of some of the ladies and their versions of the quilt.  Each quilt has a charm of its own.

I think I missed a few of the ladies and their quilts, it was an impromptu show out in the hallway.  They are all so interesting.  

What is on your design wall this week?  Mine is empty, but I will be inspired by your pictures.  Thank you so much for participating in our Design Wall Monday Party.  You are a blessing to me.

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Design Wall Monday - March 31, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall is empty today, but I am nearing the end of an appliqué quilt.  The last time I posted about this quilt was in early February, and at that time, I was nearly finished with the borders.  See post (Here). For some unexplained reason, I quit working on it, and put it aside.  I don’t know why, but sometimes when I am very near the end of a quilt, I slow down.  

Anyway, I am working on it again, and I am showing you here.  The larger tulip flower was only on one of the borders in the original pattern, but I liked it so much that there is going to be a larger tulip on all four of my quilt borders.

The borders are sewed on to the quilt center, and I have two corners to add a few flowers to.

Have you ever stopped working on a project when you are right near the end?  It might be “fear of failure”  or “ fear of success”.  I think I have a little bit of both.  lol

This week I am getting ready to go on a retreat.  When I go on a retreat, i usually make a small gift for each person sitting at the table with me.   I will show you my project next week, as I want to wait until they are gifted before I post about them.  I am curious about quilty gifts you have received/gifted.  What was a gift you made for others, or received that you really liked?

Thank you all for your participation in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  There is so much talent in your posts, and I look forward each week to seeing and reading about your projects.  Thank you!  

Link up below to join in again this week.  

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Design Wall Monday - February 24, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

The Collection for a Cause - Community quilt is now sewn together into a quilt top.  Despite all my mistakes, I am happy to have it ready to be quilted.  It turned out to be 78” by 80”, almost square.  If I had cut the diamonds correctly, the kit should have resulted in a quilt that would be 69” by 83”.  So I am happy with it, in spite of  all the twists and turns,  If you want to know more, you could search my blog for previous posts in January, 2025.  

Here is the quilt top on the design wall:

I am also making progress of sewing the borders on the Cousin’s Walk bird quilt.  I decided to sew the borders onto the quilt before I finish the final flowers at the end of the borders.  Here is my first mitered corner:

What are you moving onto or off of your design wall this week?  It was great participation on our  linkup last week, with 25 blogs showing lots of beautiful quilting projects.  Thank you all for participating.  I appreciate reading about and seeing your work.  

Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  

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Design Wall Monday - February 17, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

I hope you had a great Valentines Day with your loved ones.  Here are some quilts that are out at our house this February.

Two over the railings of the stairs near the front door::

A doll quilt of toile fabric that matches the bigger quilt above:

Do you notice that I fussy cut the toile fabric so there are two of each bird?  I love birds and am enjoying the variety that are at the bird feeder outside my kitchen window.  Life is full of small pleasures.

I am nearing the corners of the Cousin’s Walk bird quilt, and I think I am going to sew the borders to the quilt and deal with the mitered corner seams before I finish the appliquéd flowers.  Here are the corners laid out on the floor, as they are now:

Can you tell I am unsure of how to proceed with finishing this quilt?  Maybe I should read the directions again.  

What are you working on?  Please join our Design Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are doing.  Thank you at all who participate - you are special to me.

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Design Wall Monday - February 10, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall looks similar to last week, but I am making progress.  here is a picture:

The left side is all sewn together, and I am working on the rest of it.  It is going well, but I didn’t have time to work on it much this week.  Slow and steady will get the job done.

The Cousin’s Walk quilt is getting nearer the end….slow and steady applies to this one too.  I tried to appliqué one flower each day, and there are three more flowers to go before I get to the end of each border, where there are mitered corners.  I plan to sew the borders to the quilt, miter the corners, and then finish the appliqué at the ends of each vine.  I am so happy to be near the end of this quilt, and am looking forward to seeing the borders together with the middle part of the quilt.  Here is a picture of my progress:  (The white strip is freezer paper in a pattern of where the final vine will be)

Valentine’s Day is this week.  Do you have any quilts that you display for Valentines Day?  I have this one, that I always have out in February:

This quilt was made from a cross-stitch pattern that was free on the internet.  (Here) I used squares that finish at one inch, and changed the bottom wording part.  If you want to read further about the construction of it, there is explanation in this 2017 post (Here)

Maybe I will see some Valentine’s Day quilts this week from some of you.  It is always a pleasure to read your blog posts and look at your pictures.  Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  I appreciate you so much.  Thank you for participating,

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Design Wall Monday - February 3, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Happy February to you.  My Cousin’s Walk borders are getting finished.  I am nearing the end, and try to appliqué one flower each day.  Here’s todays picture:  on left, the last two borders as they are now, and on the right, a picture of the same two borders from two weeks ago.  I am getting excited that the end is getting near!

The diamonds quilt on the design wall is coming along too.  I added the edge parts, and have about ten long strips of blocks sewn together, and also have a little bit in the top left that have the strips sewn together.  It involves thinking as I sew because the triangles all have bias edges, and when sewing them together, I have to offset the edges a little to line the seams up correctly.  It’s a job where I keep Mr. Seamripper handy when I first begin a session, but after I get sewing for a while, I use him less.  Here’s the design wall, in three pictures:

(1) The top left corner is all sewn together (except for the one little corner bit)

(2) The next set of blocks are now sewn into six long diagonal strips:

(3) And the rest is a mix of some blocks sewn to their neighbors, and some blocks that are not sewn to anything.

   

It is turning out to be fitting together like a giant puzzle, and I am liking it.  What are you playing with on your design wall this week?  It doesn’t have to be on a design wall, but we like to see what progress you are making.

Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  I really enjoy seeing what you are making.  Thanks for participating each week.  I appreciate you.

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Design Wall Monday - January 20, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

The two quilts I’m working on got some progress this week:

(1)  Collection for a Cause - Community is on the design wall, or at least 1/2 of it.  The blocks are now all adjusted to the same size, and here are all the solid diamonds for it.   I put the darks and lights into vertical rows.  Next, when they are all sewn, I’ll put up the four-patch diamonds into the blank spots.

As I am working on this quilt, I realized that since I cut all the diamonds shorter and fatter than the instructions, the quilt will probably be shorter and fatter too…..but, since the cutting mistake gave me extra fabric left over from the kit, I am making more diamonds to add three more rows to make the final quilt longer.  I will have to see what size it turns out, as I am thinking it should be fairly close in size compared to the original pattern.  We shall see.  This quilt is certainly an adventure.

(2). The Cousin’s Walk quilt borders are coming along.  Two borders are finished, and the last two borders are now 1/2 finished.  I had set a goal of having the borders completed by the end of January, but that may realistically be the end of February.  I am a slow appliquér.  But it is not a race, right?  Here’s a picture of the two side borders as they are right now:

How are your projects coming along.  Please update us by joining our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below.  Thanks!  I really enjoy seeing your progress and seeing your pictures.  

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Design Wall Monday - January 6, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

I divided the two long Cousin’s Walk quilt borders into 6 sections.  I have 2 sections appliquéd and decided I could do 1 of the four remaining sections each week in January to finish these two borders in four weeks.   Alas, I didn’t get much done this week, just a flower or two.  But I will work on it more this coming week, and see if I can get past the 3rd section of each of the two borders by next Monday.  Here is a picture of where I am right now:  (just one borders, but both look the same)

A story of perseverance to encourage you (and me):

This winter, in our kitchen, we have an Amaryllis bulb.  It had five beautiful big blooms on it in December.  I was going to take a picture of it to show you, but just when it was in full bloom, before I took a picture……..tragedy struck……..it was so very top heavy that it fell over……fell off the counter top…….and the stalk and all five beautiful blooms broke off as it hit the floor.  No one was even near it!  We joked that we had never had a plant commit sucide before!  

But, here’s the perseverance story:  This bulb said he wasn’t finished yet, and another single stalk rose up out of the sorry looking remains…….and a new bloom is ready to blossom!!!  I am so amazed at the effort.  

So perseverance is the word around here, and I shall persevere with my two long borders,  How about you?  What are you persevering with?

I am looking forward to seeing what you have to show us on this week’s Design Wall Monday Linkup Party.  Click on the linkup below and join the party.  Thanks so much for your participation.  2025 is going to be a great year!

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Design Wall Monday - December 30, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!  Can you believe this is the last Monday in 2024?  The next week will be a time of reflection on 2024 and making plans for what I hope to accomplish in 2025.

Here is the current status of the two long borders for the Cousin’s Walk quilt that I’m working on.    (pictured on the floor next to each other, but on the quilt they will be on the two sides)

If I work on this project a lot during January, I believe it will be completed by the end of the month.  I love it when I can see the end of a quilt, especially one with so much appliqué  on the borders.  

Here is where I was on this project last Monday:

What are your thought on quilting as 2024 ends and 2025 starts?  I am optimistic about 2025, since I can feel my list of UFOs decreasing each year.  New Years Eve and New Years Day are set aside to assess where I am with my quilting projects.  Also I am a football fan, and will be watching a lot of football, but I can do two things at once.  

Our Design Wall Monday Linky Party is below.  Please click on the link and show us your post and pictures.  There are a lot of cute projects happening, and I appreciate your blogs and the sharing you do.  Thank you!

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Design Wall Monday - December 23, 2024

  Merry Christmas!

My stockings are  hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there…..in fact I have been visited by the man himself three times this month.  He assured me all three times that I am on his good list.

Here are the pictures of my three encounters with him.

At a restaurant in Lubbock, TX, early in December.

The second time, at Frankenmuth, MI while we dined at The Bavarian Inn.

 Third time, right in my home!  He came with a cute elf to visit me and even stayed for dinner.

Re my design wall:  It’s the same as last week, with my cutting error quilt up there, in time out.

I did make some progress on two borders of Cousin’s Walk that are my current appliqué project.  Last Monday I was starting on the first flower, and today I have four flowers on each border.  

I just discovered that if I starch the fabric just a little bit, it seems to needle turn under better for me.  Here’s a picture of the next little bit that has just been starched.

What are you working on this week?  Or not working on, as I understand it is a very busy family time.  If you are able to, please join in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  Thanks to all of you for your wonderful participation!

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